Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information... – Cartridge system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-01
2001-10-16
Marcelo, Emmanuel M. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information...
Cartridge system
C360S132000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302344
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a direct mail videocassette that is lightweight and has a virtually indestructible housing. Specifically, the invention is directed to a videocassette housing made of durable material, such as plastic, and having a limited number of parts while remaining compatible with known videocassette recorders.
The original design and construction of traditional type videocassette housings (e.g., VHS cassettes) has not changed significantly since videocassettes were developed in the 1970's. However, the number of applications for videocassettes has grown significantly during this time. For example, today, a great number of videocassettes are used for direct mail video marketing and promotion of products and services.
In a typical example of existing cassettes, U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,622 to Okamura et al. is directed to a tape cassette housing including an upper half casing and a lower half casing which are screwed together to form the housing. In addition to being time consuming during the production of videocassettes, the use of screws requires a more rigid plastic such as ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer) or polystyrene (PS). Further, the weight of the tape cassette taught by Okamura et al. is expensive to use in direct mailing. Additionally, the rigid plastic of the housing taught by Okamura et al. can be broken during mailing or shipping and requires protective cushioning if it is to be shipped or mailed without damage. Thus, the videocassette of Okamura et al. needs expensive corrugated cardboard boxes or bubble wrap and cardboard sleeves, and higher postage if employed for direct mail.
Integrally molded cassettes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,092,536 to Gelardi et al. and 5,544,834 to Esguerra et al. The housing of Esguerra et al. is primarily in two pieces, namely a housing piece and a dust cover. The Gelardi et al. videocassette housing also includes an integral dust cover. However, neither the videocassette taught by Esguerra et al. nor that taught by Gelardi et al. actually work well in videocassette recorders, loaders, and duplication decks, and are not fully VHS compatible.
The videocassette disclosed by Gelardi et al. is suitable only to be used once or twice and then thrown away. The Gelardi et al. videocassette relies on an external dust cover latch that is subject to becoming damaged as the dust cover opens and closes each time the videocassette is engaged with a player/recorder, and lacks sufficient spring force to keep the dust cover closed. Since the dust cover of Gelardi et al. can be easily opened, the videotape, which the dust cover protects, can become damaged.
Neither Gelardi et al. nor Esguerra et al. address the need for a lightweight videocassette or problems associated with direct mailing. Gelardi et al. discusses a need for a cassette housing which is made out of recyclable material and can be produced at a low cost, but, is not concerned with the weight of the cassette. While the Esguerra et al. patent discloses a videotape cassette made of non-brittle material capable of withstanding substantial handling and misuse without breaking, it does not provide a lightweight reliable cassette suitable for direct mail application.
This invention is in a crowded and mature art and succeeds where previous efforts have failed. As stated above, none of the above-identified patents are directed to solving problems associated with direct mailing. Thus, none of the patents are concerned with achieving a lightweight cassette that has a high resistance to impact and is fully operational in known videocassette recorders.
This invention satisfies a void in the videocassette art and the need for an inexpensive, lightweight videocassette that is durable and operational in industry standard players/recorders. Moreover, this invention will revolutionize direct mail marketing and promotions, as expensive, protective packaging is no longer necessary when mailing videocassettes to prospective customers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In summary, the videocassette according to the invention is lightweight, preferably 3.3 ounces or less, has a virtually indestructible housing which is made of durable plastic and constructed with a limited number of parts, and is compatible with industry standard video cassette recorders.
It is an object of the invention to provide a videocassette housing that is primarily of one-piece construction with a dust cover where the resultant videotape cassette is lightweight. In order to achieve a lighter cassette, less material is used which reduces the costs associated with the raw material. Preferably, the videocassette according to the invention weighs 3.3 ounces or less so that with a typical five-minute recording, it qualifies for significantly reduced postage rates. A 3.3-ounce cassette qualifies under current USPS standards for automated flat rate processing rather than the automated bulk rate where the cost increases for every tenth of an ounce over 3.3 ounces.
Another object is that the housing and dust cover are made of an impact resistant material so that the resultant, lightweight videocassette can be mailed or handled in shipping without the previously required, outer protective packaging, such as expensive boxes, bubble wrap and/or cardboard sleeves. Because the invention eliminates the need for outer protective packaging intended to protect known cassettes from being crushed and/or the bumps, blows and bangs associated with shipping or handling, lightweight, inexpensive plastic shrink-wrap is all that is needed to mail cassettes according to the invention. As a result, the costs associated with direct mailing the inventive videocassette will be less than previously thought possible.
That is, in addition to the weight eliminated by the previously required protective packaging, the cassette according to the invention eliminates another charge accessed by the United States Postal Service (USPS). Because the cassette according to the invention can be mailed or shipped without the bulky packaging described above, the mailed or shipped cassette had a fixed exterior dimension which avoid the USPS Residual Shape Charge that is required in order to mail or ship existing cassettes.
Yet another object of the invention is that the videocassette housing may be molded in one unit from impact resistant plastic and includes reinforced structures within the housing to strengthen the videocassette when assembled so that the resultant videotape cassette is virtually indestructible under postal conditions despite its lightweight. Such reinforcement eliminates the need for any protective or cushioning packaging and the associated labor costs.
In a preferred embodiment, the cassette weighs less than 4.5 ounces. More preferably, it weighs less than 3.75 ounces. Most preferably, the cassette weighs 3.5 ounces, or, even 3.3 ounces or less.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a videotape cassette with a limited number of moving parts. As a result, there are fewer components to break and fewer components to assemble, resulting in faster production rates and thus, lower assembly costs per cassette.
A further object of the invention is to provide a videocassette with universal spools. That is, the bottoms of the spool hubs have symmetrical (preferably, square or rectangular) teeth to stop spool rotation clockwise and counter-clockwise. Thus, according to the invention, only one type of spool needs to be manufactured as the universal, symmetrical teeth eliminate the requirement of left and right spools. This reduces costs associated with two different types of spools and simplifies production.
Another object of the invention is a separate dust cover lock, which is made of plastic and is designed to lock the videotape cassette dust cover in the closed position. The latch is pivotable so that the dust cover can move into the open position when inserted into an automatic loader or player/recorder. The shape and pivot point of the dust cover latch allows full VHS compatibility with fewer pa
Gollin Michael A.
Marcelo Emmanuel M.
Venable
Voorhees Catherine M.
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